Tissue Textured Watercolors

16 x 20 painted tissue on wc paper - "Oberlin's Oak"

16 x 20 tissue texture on wc, "Winter Glory"

5 x 7 tissue texture on wc paper

5 x 7 rice paper texture on wc paper

Students have been wanting to have a class on painting tissue paper textured watercolors.  A class was planned as a "Super Bowl - Super Paint Out" for those wanting some escape from the Super Bowl hype. That class was snowed out and rescheduled.  Yesterday eight students came to play!

 The technique in a nutshell is this.  You can use either rice paper, or regular gift wrap tissue paper for this project.  You begin with a sheet of 140 pound watercolor paper, it can be a cheaper brand than normal.  Mix 1/2 elmer's glue and 1/2 water.  Brush this mixture on the paper.  Roll up a piece of tissue or rice paper, cut a couple of inches larger that the wc paper.  Roll it into a tight ball, very, very tight, to create the intricate wrinkles.  Open up the paper carefully so as not to tear and lay it gently down on the glued wc paper.  Gently pat from the middle to the sides.  You don't want to smooth out the wrinkles, but you don't want to have an puffy pillow air packs either.  I found it helpful to lay another piece of watercolor paper on top and press the whole surface with my hands.

When the tissue is flat, add another coat of the elmer's glue/water mix. Dry with a hair dryer if you are in a hurry.

Paint and see what lovely patterns the tree branches take as the paint follows the wrinkles and creases.

Although the rice paper is acid free, and I don't know about the tissue paper, I do prefer the tissue paper over the rice paper.  Rice paper tends to feather out quite a bit more, even with the glue treatment.  The tissue paper creates a wonderfully free surface that facilitates the branching out with a bit more control.

I do think I'll paint the four seasons with this textured style for the upcoming May exhibit I will have at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation.  So far, I've mainly painted fall and winter because the wrinkles create the wonder branches that you see when all the leaves are gone.

It's so fun to play!

"Bearly Painting!"

It's fun to do something totally different than what I normally paint.  I just finished painting a four foot fiberglass bear to benefit the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette.  Thirty seven fiberglass bears arrived here in January and local artists are busy painting them for a summer exhibit in public spaces around Lafayette and West Lafayette entitled "Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!"

When I considered submitting a concept of what I would paint, I prayed and in fifteen minutes the greatest Creator of all, put in my heart the little idea of painting a bear covered with berries and call him "Mr. Very Berry Bear."  I looked up on the web the berries that bears actually eat, downloaded photos and used them for inspiration for the painting.

The project took 30 hours to paint.  Life Long Fitness in Lafayette, Indiana, provided their entry way space for studio space.  Another friend is painting her "Blossom Bear" in the space next to mine.  They will be there until the art museum takes them to Defauw Chevrolet to be clear coated, and placed around town bolted down on poured concrete bases. An auction will take place at the end of the summer and all the bears will find homes!

Painting the Seasons

It's been a while since I've posted on the blog, but that doesn't mean I've not been painting. I've been painting the seasons getting ready for an exhibit at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation gallery for the month of May.

Poinsettias are always a part of my painting rhythm each year.  I love to paint and teach how to paint poinsettias.  I always have pots of poinsettias to look at so we can paint what we actually see.  There are so many different techniques you can use to paint them.

During a visit to the Twin Rocker hand made paper shop, I picked up four square pieces of handmade paper to create one scene for each season.
Last spring I painted a baby cardinals nest that appeared in just outside our lilac bush outside the living room window.  Of the three eggs, only one hatched and I was able to take the photo that I used for the painting.

The inspiration for the summer painting came from a photo shoot at Prophets Town in West Lafayette to catch the prairie flowers in bloom.  I began the painting last summer but struggled with the composition and getting the queen anne's lace just right.  After using some white guache I was able to get the effect that I was looking for.

Milk weed pods and teasels are some of the beauties of fall.  I gathered some milk weed pods and kept them in my studio to study and sketch for the fall painting.  It was a challenge to capture the fluff of the milk weed seeds, but a fun one.

In January I was able to spend in week in Hillsdale, Michigan.  There was a beautiful fresh snow that I captured at sunrise in minus 17 degree wind chill factor weather.  It was worth braving the elements to see the beauty of the sunrise over the pond in Slayton Arboretum at Hillsdale College.

The four main painting of the four seasons are finished.  But there are so many more I would love to paint.  This afternoon during the Super Bowl, while Steve watched the game, I enjoyed painting another scene from the Slayton Arboraetum.